Chandigarh:

Haryana has banned the sale and use of firecrackers in 14 districts near Delhi days before the big festival of Diwali, the state government said today in a notification. Online shopping sites too cannot make any sales of such nature.

The state government noted that bursting crackers can adversely affect the respiratory health of vulnerable groups, besides aggravating health condition of COVID-19 positive persons in home isolation. It also cited rulings of the National Green Tribunal and the Supreme Court for the move.

The 14 districts where sale and bursting of crackers is banned are: Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Faridabad, Gurugram, Jhajjar, Jind, Karnal, Mahendragarh, Nuh, Palwal, Panipat, Rewari, Rohtak and Sonipat.

The order will also apply to cities and towns where the average of ambient air quality during November ( as per last year’s data) is of poor and above category, while green crackers will be permitted in cities in which air quality is moderate or below, it said.

Even for marriages and other occasions, only green crackers are permitted, the government said.

“The cities/town/areas in which air quality is moderate or below, the timings for use and bursting of crackers, on Diwali days or any other festivals like Gurupurab, etc will strictly be from 8 pm till 10 pm only. For Chatt, the same will be from 6 am to 8 am. On Christmas and New Year Eve, when such fireworks start around midnight, i.e. from 12 am, it will be from 11:55 pm till 12:30 am only,” said the government order.

The government said in areas where use and bursting of crackers is allowed, people would be encouraged to burst crackers in groups to minimise the impact.

It added that authorities would identify such areas where people could burst crackers and publicise the same to make people aware.

Last month, the neighbouring Delhi government banned the storage, sale and use of firecrackers in the national capital due to concerns over hazardous air pollution levels.